Touch of genius: The best smartphone apps for the home

Got a problem? From cleaning up the streets to building a sense of community, these are the free apps that can help

Report uncollected rubbish to your local council with the FixMyStreet app

Need to report a pothole? Arguing about whose turn it is to do the washing-up?
Gone are the days of waiting on hold to be put through to the right council
department, or leaving passive-aggressive Post-it notes — there are free
smartphone apps designed to improve life in and around the home, simplify
tasks and improve safety. Cyclists in Glasgow are being encouraged to
install a journey tracker, so the council can create bike lanes in useful
places. Yet with more than 1.2m apps available, where do you start? Home has
done the hard work for you.

FixMyStreet

Best for Reporting problems to your local council
Save yourself a phone call when flagging up issues such as broken street
lights, uncollected rubbish and potholes. Your complaint will be forwarded
from your mobile to the local council. The app will pinpoint your location
while you create a report, then submit — simple. There’s